Kostecki reveals key to DJR's New Zealand chances

Dick Johnson Racing was a surprise pace-setter at last year's Taupō round, but Brodie Kostecki says the Ford team needs to start on the front foot to be in the hunt for wins in 2025.

The Shell V-Power Racing Team recorded its best weekend of 2024 in New Zealand last year, with both cars reaching the Saturday podium and Anton De Pasquale winning the Jason Richards Trophy.

DJR has been solid if not impressive to start 2025, with Kostecki sitting fifth overall through two rounds to help the Shell squad sit just five points behind Walkinshaw Andretti United in the teams' standings.

This time last year, the highest placed DJR driver was 10th, and the team was a lowly 10th in teams.

Taupō will see the debut of the new Super 440 format, where drivers will fight for three wins. To add to the challenge, the Saturday sprints will be split between the new-for-2025 Dunlop Soft tyre and Super Soft tyre.

When asked if DJR could pull off a Taupō repeat, Kostecki insisted the team needs to start better. It comes after the #38 was only 20th in both Melbourne practice sessions.

“So much has changed just in the last sort of 12 months,” Kostecki told Supercars.com.

“We have a new tyre now and we're going to a new car that behaves quite a lot different to the GM product. For us, it's just trying to learn off what we've done the last two rounds.

“Also, hopefully we can roll out of the truck a little bit better. We've been a little bit behind starting off in Practice 1 and it takes too long to recover. So as long as we can fix that up, hopefully we can trend to the front a bit more.”

The team debuted two new Ford Mustangs at the Thrifty Sydney 500 - Opening Round, has has welcomed 12 new staff alongside star recruit Kostecki.

Kostecki and Will Davison left Sydney eighth and 15th overall, with DJR fifth in teams'. In Melbourne, Kostecki was fifth and Davison ninth for the weekend. Only Triple Eight and Matt Stone Racing scored more points than DJR.

DJR CEO David Noble suggested trophies could be just around the corner, saying: "There is an overall sense that our relentless combined efforts are starting to come to fruition.

"It was an awkward weekend, but a great opportunity and we got some solid finishes by both Brodie Kostecki and Will Davison.

"There has certainly been incremental improvement this weekend. We’re always happy to make marginal gains, but incremental steps allow you to understand why you’re moving forward.

"The drivers are also adapting to the new philosophy with the cars, although it’s not really new for Brodie, and we’re starting to see things coming to fruition."

Supercars will hit the track in New Zealand on Friday April 11.